Wichita eagle., 1887-11-23
THE BIG MEAT BILLS
or Senator EVarts, Pierre Lori1lard and
James Gordon Bennett, Jr.


met fat, jolly looking Irishrnan il
the oiiice of friend of mine the othel
day, who impressed me strongly with hi.
heartiness. After he had gone out
asked my friend who he was.
"You viii probably be surprised" re
turned my friend, ''but that man is vel
| known to some of the most prominent
| men in New York, and has had very init
mate dealings with them. Among these
may be mentioned Pierre Lorillard, jaime:
/ Gordon Bennett, Senator Evarts, and !
don't know how many others; enough,
anyhow, to put him On speaking terms
with three-quarters of the men whose
! names are familiar TO everybody"
Something in the tone of his voice and
/ in the rather amused smile that accom-
panied it made me push my inquiries fur
Their. The man who was supposed to
know everybody worth knowing had not
the distinguished air usually worn by
such parsonage / was rot, therefore, SO
much surprised as / would otherwise
have been when I learned that he was
Kelly the butcher. The rest of his name
was said TO be immaterial; but not to
know Kelly the butcher was, l was as
sured, TO argue ones self unknown. For
years he and his father before him kept a
butcher shop at University place sand
Thirteenth street Here were cut the
juicy chops and the tender steaks, and
from here were sent the delicate fowl and
game that have ticBled the palates and
pleased and satisfied the stOmachs Of a
generation of the wealthy and prominent
of New Yorks citizens Catering to the
stomachs Of these patricians, Kelly learn
ed certain interesting characteristics Of
each, and some OF these he impaired to
my friend, also his patron, who in turn
related them to me.
Senator Evarts, according to his meat
man, is very particular as 30 the flesh he
eats Although his face looks like q
piece Of parchment, and has no more
color in it, yet he INDUCES in rare steaks
and roast beef, meats that contain the
most blood. He is very particular about
them also. His cook selects the meat ten
days in advance Of the time it is wanted
fer the table, and has it cut off in his
presence. Then Kelly puts it into his ice
box, where 1t remains until it is sent to
the senator.
Pierre Lorillard Is one Of Kelly's best
patrons, and one who has stuck to him
since he moved up town. His bill for
meat alone when he is at his town resi-
dence sometimes reaches $500 q month
ana averages $500 It would DE impos-
sible for any family to spend that amount
for meat even with house full Of guests,
but L0rillGrd like Bennett, is a high
liver, and aims to secure dslicacies for his
guests that make a visit at his house a
much coveted privilege. His orders are
such, sometimes, that it is necessary to
spoil large quantities Of meat OF fowl to
get at tie particular part he desires.
Thus, for instance, when he orders ten
pounds Of chicken breast, & great many
would have to be cut up to sup
ply that amount. He would, Of course,
be charged Just as much as though he
had ordered that number of chickens II
is very profitable for the butcher, I'M
doubleday, inasmuch as he can sell those
parts OF the chickens that have not been
used and il that way get double pay for
the same article. When it comes to
orders OF G. like nature IL regard to more
expensive game, as canv2sback ducks, |
grouse and so forth, the orders amount
TO large sums. Lorillard is hard Gus
toner to suit, though for while he does |
not grumble at the bills, he wants what |
he orders on the moment and will not take |
any excuses.
Bennett is probably the most extrava-
giant Of all. He has not been in New York |
for some years now, but there is 10 reason |
10 believe that he has grown any more |
since he went abroad, even |
though MS newspaper has lost so much in
His household was run on !
the most extravaganza scale in every re-
spect. He paid q man in one of the oyster
saloons to remain up all night in readiness
TO prepare oysters for him at any time lie
might desire them. HIS orders to his
butchers exceeded in extravaganza those
Of all the other nabobs, and $1,000 .
month went into the Golfers Of Kelly, the
butcher, from this source alone. His
servants lived Oh the fat of the land, for
his orders for supplies were on such
grand scale that large portion of the
.ood brought into the house had to be
brown away daily. While his father,
Who made the fortune his son attempted
o but could not dissipate, lived the serv-
ants were held in some sort of check, but
wen then they had 4 pleasant time Of it.
Every morning this ordere$g1e own for
he old mans breakfast, torsB and tea
These slices Of toast, stamped in artistic
shapes, and pot OF tea would be sent I'd
% hin, while the servants below dined on
steak, lamb chops, bro;led
hicken and other choice vianGs Wash
ngtOl Post.